FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Alton W Knappenberger ~ February 23, 2009

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Alton W. Knappenberger

Info from this website and also here.

           

Alton Knappenberger was working on a Pennsylvania pig farm when he was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteen. He landed at Anzio, on the Italian coast, on January 22, 1944, as part of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, and although he did not know it at the time, he was about to become engaged in one of the toughest combat actions of World War II. “Knappie,” as his friends called him, was surprised by how little resistance the Germans initially offered. But as his unit slowly pushed inland over the next few days, he could sense that the enemy was regrouping. It rained constantly. He never forgot the mud; it was so thick and viscous that he worried it might suck off his boots.

On February 1, as Private First Class Knappenberger’s battalion neared the small town of Cisterna di Littoria, the Germans launched a strong counterattack with tanks and artillery that nearly overwhelmed the U.S. force. It was the Germans’ intent to push the Americans into the sea. With American soldiers taking heavy casualties all around him, Knappenberger crawled to a rise so that he could see the enemy. A German machine gun about eighty yards away opened fire, its slugs hitting right in front of Knappenberger and kicking mud into his face. He scrambled to a Browning Automatic Rifle lying beside one of his dead comrades, stood up, and aimed a burst at the machine gun, killing the three Germans operating it. Two Germans crawled to a point within twenty yards of Knappenberger’s knoll and threw potato masher grenades at him. Knappenberger wheeled and killed them both with one burst from his automatic rifle.

He was moving forward when a second German machine gun opened fire from a range of a hundred yards. Knappenberger silenced it with the BAR. Shortly afterward, a German 20 mm antiaircraft gun directed fire at his unit. He took out the German position with his BAR. For the next two hours, Knappenberger single-handedly held off the enemy infantry, which was threatening the efforts of the U.S. force to organize a defense. When he ran low on ammunition, he crawled through heavy fire to the body of another fallen American and grabbed clips from his pack. He resumed firing and repelled a German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Despite heavy fire, shells bursting within fifteen yards of him, he held his precarious position while continuing to fire at the enemy. Finally, his ammunition supply completely exhausted, he rejoined his company, having disrupted the enemy attack for more than two hours. Only six men out of his company of two hundred had not been killed or wounded.

Over the next few weeks, the breakout from Anzio stalled and developed into a stalemate between Allied and German forces as each regrouped. Knappenberger was in a foxhole not far from where the February action had occurred when he was informed that he was to receive the Medal of Honor. It was presented to him on June 8, 1944, by General Mark Clark, commander of the 5th Army, with American troops looking on and the regimental band playing. Soon therafter, Knappenberger was sent home and traveled around the country telling his story as part of a war bond drive. After the war, he returned home to Pennsylvania and worked as a truck driver and supervisor of an asphalting crew.

The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor

to

    KNAPPENBERGER, ALTON W.

    Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division.
    Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 1 February 1944.
    Entered service at: Spring Mount, Pa.
    Birth: Cooperstown, Pa. G.O. No.: 41, 26 May 1944.

    Citation:

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action involving actual conflict with the enemy, on 1 February 1944 near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy. When a heavy German counterattack was launched against his battalion, Pfc. Knappenberger crawled to an exposed knoll and went into position with his automatic rifle. An enemy machinegun 85 yards away opened fire, and bullets struck within 6 inches of him. Rising to a kneeling position, Pfc. Knappenberger opened fire on the hostile crew, knocked out the gun, killed 2 members of the crew, and wounded the third. While he fired at this hostile position, 2 Germans crawled to a point within 20 yards of the knoll and threw potato-masher grenades at him, but Pfc. Knappenberger killed them both with 1 burst from his automatic rifle. Later, a second machinegun opened fire upon his exposed position from a distance of 100 yards, and this weapon also was silenced by his well-aimed shots. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm. antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Pfc. Knappenberger returned fire to wound 1 member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shellfire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machineguns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machinegun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position and resumed firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Pfc. Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours.

Lots more to read about this hero here.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Arrowhead...((HUGS))...did you get enough drizzle to help with allergies? Have a good Monday. Sleep, then breakfast. Thanks for the bacon and eggs.

[Tanniker Smith]

iTunes holds as many songs as you have space on your hard drive. Now, how she plans on picking songs to put on her iPod, I haven't a clue. She has about 20 times as much on the PC, which isn't really a big deal -- we have a huge hard drive and not much to put on it.

I taped the end of the show, even though I already heard some of the winners on the radio. It was on late, and I was watching in the bedroom, so I had to shut it off.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Pusterfuss...((HUGS))...10 here, but you are still on a roller coaster. How was the home show? Did The Boss get any new ideas?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Picking individual songs seems like it would take forever. I don’t have the patience. Have a good Monday!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families. THANK YOU for all you do.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities. WOO HOO - awesome story about Alton Knappenberger. And, thank you, sir, for your service.

DC Metroland weather report

~ Today.....Cold

~ Tonight.....Cold

Come on Spring!

Man oh man, where did the weekend go? It's already Monday and I've hardly had a chance to rest up over the weekend. Come on Friday! LOL

This is going to be a quick in and out after I've caught up on my pings as I've a busy week ahead.

Time for me to make my rounds. But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How’s it going?

[philly-d-kidder]

[Arrowhead1952]

Thanks Kathy. Good morning and (((HUGS))) to you. Yes, you need to hit the sack.

We had just about 1/2 inch of rain, but the high winds dried that up already and the allergies are bad again.

[PROCON]

Morning, Beachie!

Last week in February and that means Spring has almost sprung. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather.

How was you're weekend?

[beachn4fun]

Good morning and (((HUGS))) EG. Trying to get started on some of my work before the phone starts ringing and people show up in my office. Another cold, windy day so I’ll be staying inside.

Whatz up out your way?

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, pro

How are you this Monday morning? Has your weather improved any? How was your weekend?

Farmer’s Almanac predicts a cold March! I hope not....UGH! I want spring!

Weekend was busy and went to fast. We had a little bit of rain yesterday morning but got sunny around noonish.

Now, I’m trying to figure out what to do first this morning.

[E.G.C.]

((LOL))Well, not much going on. That HAZMAT situation that I mentioned earlier in Ringling turned out to be a diesel spill.

Here is KXII TV's report on it.

The roadway is still blocked so those who normally travel through the area on their way to work should find and alternate route.

[MEG33]

= *Thank You To Our Troops*

~Good Morning~
To The Canteen

*HUGS*
Hope everyone has a great day.

[blackie]

Thanks Kathy!

{{HUGS}}

[stand watie]

HI, Kathy!

34 degrees F + a >30MPH wind = BRRRRRRRRRRRR! (glad i'm NOT out in it.)

the wind is what we wild Texicans call a "lazy wind" = it doesn't bother to go AROUND you;instead it goes on THROUGH you!

free dixie,sw

[Tanniker Smith]

Good afternoon, beachy!!

[Tanniker Smith]

200?

[Tanniker Smith]

200?

[Tanniker Smith]

200?

[Tanniker Smith]

200?